§ Mr. BluntTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the effect on the number of passengers passing through London airports in 2015, based on the recent studies of the European Commission and assuming all EU countries applied a similar rate of tax, if a fuel tax on all airlines were imposed(a) at a rate of ecu 245 per 1,000 litres and (b) at the same rate as motor fuel excise (excise duty and VAT) in the UK. [101807]
§ Mr. MullinWe are currently reviewing the Commission's recent Communication and related study. We are also working, through the International Civil Aviation Organisation, to examine a range of market based options to limit or reduce emissions from aviation. It would be premature to focus on the effects of specific rates of tax on numbers of passengers at the London airports: no such proposals have been made.